Tailor Made Rail
San Sebastian and Lisbon
12 daysfrom $2,135
Tailor Made Rail · Independent rail holiday
Galicia and the Douro Valley
Enjoy a stunning holiday taking in the beautiful Spanish region of Galicia and the verdant landscapes of the Douro Valley in Portugal, with stops in Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Porto, Pinhão and Salamanca.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Paris
London to Paris
Eurostar service to Paris; spend the rest of the day exploring the City of Light.
- Day 2railovernight: San Sebastian
Paris to San Sebastian
TGV south to Hendaye on the Spanish border, then a private train service (tickets payable locally) across the border to the Basque region and San Sebastian.
- Day 3railovernight: Santiago de Compostela
San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela
Train to Madrid, changing onto a service to the pilgrim destination of Santiago de Compostela for a 2-night stay.
- Day 4overnight: Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, with attractions including the Pazo de Raxoi, Parco de Alameda and the Galician Centre for Contemporary Art.
- Day 5railovernight: Vigo
Santiago de Compostela to Vigo
A local train through the Galician countryside to the port city of Vigo, known as the Gateway to the Atlantic.
- Day 6railovernight: Porto
Vigo to Porto
An evening train across the border into Portugal (clocks go back an hour), winding through the hills of northern Portugal to Porto's Campanhã station for a 3-night stay.
- Day 7overnight: Porto
Porto
Explore Ribeira, one of the oldest historic centres in Europe and UNESCO listed, with port wine tours and views over the Douro River.
- Day 8overnight: Porto
Porto
Further free time in Porto.
- Day 9railovernight: Pinhão
Porto to Pinhão
A regional train from Porto Campanhã following the Douro River Valley with panoramic views, arriving in the wine village of Pinhão.
- Day 10overnight: Pinhão
Pinhão and the Douro Valley
Explore the vineyard terraces surrounding Pinhão, producing port and table wines, with a visit possible to the Museu do Vinho de Quinta Nova.
- Day 11railovernight: Salamanca
Pinhão to Salamanca
A private car transfer (arranged due to the lack of rail connections between Portugal and Spain) via Ciudad Rodrigo, known for its Old Town and 12th-century city walls, on to Salamanca.
- Day 12railovernight: Girona
Salamanca to Girona
A fast Alvia train to Madrid connecting with a high-speed AVE service to Girona, an historic Catalan city with a walled Old Quarter.
- Day 13rail
Girona to London
Morning TGV service across the French border and up through Provence and Bourgogne to Paris, then metro to the Gare du Nord for the return Eurostar to the UK.
Included
- Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
- 11 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Private transfer from Pinhão to Salamanca with stop at Ciudad Rodrigo
- Comprehensive directions to your hotels
- Easy-to-follow travel documentation
- A Seat61 Recommended Holiday
